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Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
The Commissioner for Edo and Delta states, Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission, (ICPC), Mr Olatunji Yusuf, says that the commission has successfully secured four conviction, with other cases still pending in court.
He said the feat was achieved between 2019 and early 2020.
Yusuf disclosed this in his office while briefing newsmen on his achievements within the year under review.
“Within last year and now, we have four convictions in Edo and Delta while we have many cases pending.
“Presently, we have eight cases in court in Edo and Delta going on at different stages.
“In Delta we have three while in Edo we have one,” he said.
The commissioner said although they have done pretty well in the fight against corruption, the commission believes that there are still much to be done and that they are working hard to ensure that corruption is reduced to its barest minimum.
“So, when you look at those things, we have made success. Success is not only about the number of persons sent to jail or numbers of conviction but it is measured on change of orientation in terms of corruption and the perceptions people are having towards corruption.
“So far, we have really achieved a lot even though we have not reached what we intend to achieve. We want to see a Nigeria free of corruption,” he said.
On the 2019 Corruption Perceptions Index by the Transparency International (TI), he said the perception is wrong because there have been significant improvements in anti-graft war.
“With what we have done so far, you can see that perception is wrong. It is just a perception and for us things are getting better. Recently, you saw former governors and ministers going to jail, and it shows there is improvements,” he noted.
He said the manpower shortage facing the commission will soon be addressed.
“So far, anti-corruption fight is not an easy task; the major challenges we are having is manpower. In the whole of ICPC, we are not up to 1,000 serving over 200million Nigerians. So, manpower is one of the major things.
“So far, the commission is now in the process of putting more hands. Hopefully, before the middle of the year, the problem would have been solved,” he said.
